Find a Disposal Site Near You on National Drug Takeback Day

October 24, 2018

The DEA's next prescription disposal event is October 27.

By Regence

As you head out to the pumpkin patch and gather your last-minute Halloween candy for the coming trick-or-treaters, consider adding another errand to your weekend list: disposing of unused or unwanted medications.

Saturday, Oct. 27 is the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) fall National Prescription Drug Takeback Day. The event encourages the safe disposal of old medications that might be ripe for misuse if they’re hanging around the medicine cabinet.

These include opioid medications that are part of a national epidemic of abuse. Regence supports safe medication disposal among myriad efforts to prevent misuse of these pain prescriptions. Part of our efforts include sponsoring 38 safe medication disposal kiosks in parts of Oregon, Washington, Utah and Idaho at local Walgreens stores. This partnership with Walgreens is designed to offer safe and convenient opportunities for people to discard these medications at any time.

Regence’s Dr. Jim Polo, behavioral health medical director, writes in the Portland Business Journal about other ways we are leaning in to this effort, including collaboration between public agencies like the DEA and private-sector organizations like health insurance companies, pharmacies and physicians.